It is the purpose of this invention to provide an improved roof formed of interlocked panels and panel mounting clips that is structurally sound, economical to manufacture and install, flexible enough to accommodate differential dimensional changes, and thermally efficient when used with an insulation layer and thermal blocks.
The invention accomplishes this purpose by means of an improved seamed roof and panel clip structure composed of substantially identical panels of a design in which opposite sidewalls have flanges shaped to nest together and interlock with each other and with panel mounting clips fastened to the roof purlins. In preferred form the mounting clips include a base that is fastened to the purlin and a flexible tab clip that interlocks with the panel sidewalls and is secured to the base in a manner that permits it to move relatively to it in order to accommodate movement of the panels relative to the purlins while maintaining their attachment to them. If roof insulation is desired, blankets of insulation can be laid across the roof purlins and the panels and panel mounting clips laid on top of the insulation. Preferably, the insulation includes relatively stiff thermal blocks that are laid over the blanket insulation directly above the purlins and extend between the panel mounting clips. The panels are laid upon and supported by the thermal blocks thereby allowing the insulative blankets to be substantially fully expanded to their optimum thickness throughout most of their lengths and the entire roof area to be insulated.